Evaluation of the effectiveness of a web-based parenting programme
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An effectiveness study of an online parenting programme based on ’The Little Parent Handbook’: A pilot randomised controlled trial
IRAS ID
192588
Contact name
Dawn Adele Owen
Contact email
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN89370147
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
The online parenting programme based on ‘The Little Parent Handbook’ is a ten-week online intervention for parents designed to teach positive parenting tools, in particular how to encourage positive child behaviour. Parents of children aged 3-8 years who would like to learn more about parenting will be invited to participate. \n\nThe online intervention consists of reading information (or listening via the audio button), watching videos of positive parenting examples, answering questions based on the videos (to target parental observational skills), completing multiple-choice questions at the end of each chapter and practising the skills learned at home with their child. Parents can also download and print a summary page. \n\nHealth Visitors will distribute flyers and discuss the online programme with parents on their caseloads. Parents who would like to take part will then be asked to fill out a ‘parent note of interest’ form and the Health Visitor will send the form to the Chief investigator at the Centre for Evidence based Early Intervention (via a pre-paid envelope). The chief investigator will then contact the parents directly to arrange an appointment to discuss the project further and to obtain formal consent. Parents will also be recruited by posters handed out by local primary schools and nurseries. Contact details will be on the poster (e-mail address). \n\nParents will be randomly allocated to either an intervention group or a three-month wait-list control group on a 2:1 ratio. Intervention parents will start the programme immediately, control parents will wait three months. At the three-month stage, a researcher will visit the families again. At this point, the control parents will be given their log in details. The research team will also collect six month follow-up data from the intervention group. \n\nThe primary measure for the study is a behavioural observation of parent-child interaction.\n\n
REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
15/WA/0463
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jan 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion